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Pre-marriage tests now a must in UAE

Both UAE nationals and expats preparing to tie the knot in the UAE will now have to produce an ‘all-clear’ certificate before they can get their marriages registered, said the UAE Minister of Health, Humaid Mohammed Obaid Al Qutami yesterday after chairing the first meeting of the specially formed Higher Scientific Committee for Premarital Tests.

A ministerial decree 214 for 2006 has also been passed regarding the decision.

The minister said: “No couple will be stopped from getting married even if the results of the tests are positive.”

“A standard health criteria committee will also provide technical advice to couples after evaluating them medically,” he added.

Dr Amin Hussain Al Amiri, Director of Blood Transfusion and Research Services, who is also the Vice-President of the committee, said: “Eight major diseases will be monitored by the committee, and later a public awareness programme will also be held.”

Dr Amiri also said that leprosy was initially included as a disease to be screened, but was removed later because it is a clinical investigation.

The diseases that couples will be screened for include thalassaemia, sickle cell aneamia, hereditary diseases, STDs/HIV, tuberculosis and other chest diseases as well as Hepatitis B and C.

He also clarified that in case the couple was found to be suffering from any of these diseases, the committee would provide them with counselling and also inform them about the treatment methods.

Dr Amiri informed that the committee that includes 10 members would evaluate the situation and meet again in two weeks.

Dr Mahmoud Fikri, Assistant Under-Secretary for Preventive Medicine at the Ministry of Health, is heading the committee.

Article 2 of the decree also says that the committee should prepare a list of such diseases which might cause married couples to separate in future.

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